CONGRESS HAS BEEN sidelined for weeks by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, forcing a body steeped in tradition to quickly adapt to legislating from afar in order to pass much-needed relief for devastated businesses and families. But even as lawmakers shift to a more remote lifestyle, conventional congressional oversight has largely been on hold without in-person hearings and witness testimony.
Nearly $3 trillion in spending for virus relief, reports of mass shortages of protective equipment for medical workers and a spate of what appear to be politically motivated firings that would ordinarily prompt a succession of witness and document requests have been met with a much slower response in the nearly six weeks that Congress has been on an extended recess.
Most committees have paused holding hearings to comply with social distancing guidance, and the current rules don’t allow proceedings to be conducted virtually since lawmakers must be physically present. Now, members are moving quickly to ramp up their oversight efforts and looking to resume publicly questioning officials – and issuing subpoenas if they don’t comply. Continue reading.